Less Is More: Using Social Media to Inspire Concise Writing

This week the New York Times' The Learning Network published a post titled, Less Is More: Using Social Media to Inspire Concise Writing.  I left a comment on my use of Edmodo with my 7th grade students.  Here's the link to my comment: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/less-is-more-using-social-media-to-inspire-concise-writing/#comment-163043

How You Like Me Now?

How You Like Me Now?

"Mall Pride" At The Rockaway Townsquare Mall

Mall Pride at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall, in Rockaway, NJ, starts today, March 20th, and runs until March 27th.  Mall Pride is sponsored by the Morris County Council of Education Associations.  Area schools display the works of students.  Some of my 6th grade student's Asia: Then and Now scrapbooks are on our school's display table.  Our school's table is located outside of Precision Time and Godiva Chocolate.  Mall Pride info: http://www.simon.com/Mall/PrintNewsEvent.aspx?eid=49635

Japanese Earthquake Tsunami Teaching Resources

Compiled by fellow DEN (Discovery Educator Network) teacher Jennifer Dorman (cliotech).

• Scholastic News - Tsunami Strikes Japan
• Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake and Tsunami
• BBC - Japan Earthquake
• BBC - Video Footage of Tsunami Striking Japan
• Global Giving - Japan Earthquake And Tsunami Relief Fund
• NY Times - Japan
• NY Times - Teaching Ideas - Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
• The Washington Post - The Answer Sheet - Japan Earthquake: Basic facts, resources on quakes, tsunamis
• Tsunami Visualizations
• Stop Disasters - Disaster Simulation Game
• USGS Earthquake Resources
• USGS Flash Animations for Earthquake Concepts
• Google Earth KML Files
• IRIS - Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
• Discovery Education - Ready Classroom: Emergency Preparedness for Teachers, Students, and Families
• NOAA Tsunami Resources
• FEMA for Kids - Tsunamis

Latitude and Longitude

Spencer's Latest Movie Trailer

Virtual Student Constitution - 2011 Edition

This week my 7th grade students took part in a Virtual Constitutional Convention Simulation PBL. They met in class and online in a private, secure social network set-up on Edmodo. Their goal was to write a Virtual Student Constitution (Student Handbook).  Their culminating activity is on a wiki, which includes student-created Voki talking avatars.  All of my 7th grade students collaborated to create the wiki.  Here is the link: http://farber7th.pbworks.com/w/page/34319057/FrontPage.

*Update: Results of the student vote are in! (66.7% vote of "yes" was needed to ratify the Virtual Student Constitution wiki.) Question: I think the Virtual Student Constitution Wiki should be ratified (approved). Yes 53.85%, 35 vote(s), No 46.15%, 30 vote(s)

Our Class Constitution Simulation Project Tied To Revolution In Egypt

Next week my seventh grade classes will be taking part in a Virtual Constitution Convention simulation project. They will collaborate to rewrite the school's student handbook.  

 

Students will use Edmodo for the project. Edmodo is a social learning network for teachers, students, schools and districts. Edmodo provides free classroom communication for teachers, students and administrators on a secure social network. Edmodo is accessible online or using any mobile device, including Android, iPhone and iPod Touch.

The culminating activity will be on a collaborative wiki: http://farber7th.pbworks.com/w/page/34319057/FrontPage

The project will be tied to social media and the revolution in in Egypt (freedom of assembly, speech):

• http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thecutline/20110211/ts_yblog_thecutline/social-media-plays-role-in-egypt-some-expected-in-iran
• http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/02/08/world/middleeast/1248069622796/cairos-facebook-flat.html 

Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century

Set your DVRs! This Sunday night "Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century" premieres on PBS. The following is a description from the PBS Teachers website: http://www.pbs.org/teachers/digitallearners/

Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century addresses this vital question, taking viewers to the frontlines of what is rapidly becoming an education revolution. The film, targeted at parents, teachers, and anyone concerned about education in America, explores how exceptional educators are increasingly using digital media and interactive practices to ignite their students' curiosity and ingenuity, help them become civically engaged, allow them to collaborate with peers worldwide, and empower them to direct their own learning.

Check it out! http://video.pbs.org/video/1767314964/

Skype Chat With South Korea

Today one of my 6th grade social studies class used Skype on our SMART Board to videoconference with an American TESOL professor at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, Korea. The teacher, who is an American citizen and a friend of mine from college, has been living and working in Asia for over a decade. Korea is 14 hours ahead of NJ.  It was pretty amazing having a guest speaker from halfway around the world!

Safer Internet Day

Today, February 8, 2011, is Safer Internet Day. The topic for 2011 is "our virtual lives" around the slogan " It's more than a game, it's your life". In 2010 Safer Internet Day was celebrated through over 500 events in 65 countries all over the world.

"Voki for Education" Launches!

The moment has arrived, and the new Voki for Education is finally here!  As one of their "Voki Ambassadors," I helped give the site valuable input for their relaunch.  Last summer I created a Voki avatar give a tour of my class web page.

Here are some of the new features detailed in an email sent to me today:

• Sharing. We’ve added many sharing/publishing options, as well as a “Voki link” which will enable users to share a simple URL to a Voki page, where we will host the scene for them. This means that users no longer need access to a website or blog to share their Voki. We will also include custom links for educational partners, such as SymbalooEdu.
• Voki for Education Welcome page. This is an introduction page to Voki for Education, which includes links to other relevant pages. This page will soon be updated to include a Voki scene and social media feeds.
• Lesson Plan Database.
• Teacher’s Corner. Here, teachers and experienced users will be able to discuss anything related to Voki. One area within the Teacher’s Corner will be the Newbie’s Corner.
•  New FAQ. This is simply an updated FAQ section.
• Voki is remaining Free for everyone. Currently, Voki is also remaining Ad-Free. 

Here is the link: http://www.voki.com/Voki_for_education.php

Fun With Google Maps

Here is a little something to make you laugh (especially for Google Map lovers):

1. Go to Google Maps and click on "Get Directions": Google Maps
2. Write USA as your start point.
3. Write Japan as your destination. 
4. Go to the 31st point on your route and laugh and laugh and laugh...

I Won A Classroom Grant Today!

I won a grant today to purchase a class set of 30 "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution" books, plus a teacher's edition! The text comprises 6 units with 29 lessons that use critical thinking exercises, cooperative learning practices and a culminating authentic performance assessment to teach the history and principles of constitutional democracy.

Here's a description from the Center for Civic Education's website:

The We the People curriculum not only enhances students' understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy, it also helps them to identify the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Critical thinking exercises, problem-solving activities, and cooperative learning techniques help develop participatory skills necessary for students to become active, responsible citizens.

First Holiday Season With Spencer

Another snow day! I spent the day home with Spencer. While he napped, I created a photo book about Spencer's first holiday season. Hope everyone had a safe day!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Spencer's New Years Message

Happy New Decade!

Happy New Decade! (click the picture to view it in full screen)

One Minute on Facebook

Discovery Blog Network & The "Skype In The Classroom" Directory

As a "STAR member of the Discovery Educator Network," Discovery Communications created a blog link for me, http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/mattfarber/.  They added me to the DEN Blog Network, http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/directory-of-stars/, too!  My first, and only, entry (so far) is a link back to this blog.  Skype also listed me in their Skype In The Classroom Directory: http://education.skype.com/users/496.

Track Santa With Google Earth

Thanks to Norad Santa, you can track Santa's route with Google Earth. This year Norad Santa added a Google Maps plug-in for smart phones. Visit m.noradsanta.org on your phone’s browser. You can follow the trip on Twitter at @noradsanta, and keep up with news about his journey on this Facebook page. Santa’s home on YouTube is at http://www.youtube.com/noradtrackssanta. This is a great way to blend geography with a holiday tradition.

The trip begins Christmas Eve: http://www.noradsanta.org/en/track3d.html.

Here are highlights from last year's journey: